It All Started With A Bet
by TheHungerGamesIreland
Summary: When Peeta's brother bets that Katniss and Peeta won't be together in a months time, he's pretty confident. With good reason.


**A/N.**

**Weeell here's a little one shot story for you guys, not much to say but I hope you enjoy it! Ooooh and I have a little musical inspiration playing right now, they're a band called Bastille and you should all give them a listen because they are amaaazing and I just booked tickets to see them in June!**

* * *

"Stop staring at me."

Katniss gave Peeta an un-amused scowl and returned to reading her book. Peeta jumped when she said it, not even realising that he had been looking at her. He mumbled an apology and tried to get his eyes to focus on the page in front of him. But they kept wandering towards her legs, with looked tanned and smooth, and tantalisingly long in her faded denim shorts.

"Seriously Peeta, my eyes are up here if you want to talk to me." Katniss had a playful glint in her eye, but she was scowling nonetheless. Peeta blushed and looked down at his book, making another failed attempt at reading. How could anyone expect him to read when Katniss was sitting a mere three feet away from him, with her legs folded beneath her and the tiniest shorts that he had ever seen on her?

He sighed, and stood up. "I'm gonna get some food. You want something?"

Katniss shook her head in response, not looking up. Peeta made his way in to the kitchen, where his brother, Dylan, was making a fresh loaf of bread.

"Finally put your clothes back on?" Dylan smirked at him, teasing.

"Oh very funny. We're just _friends._" This got an exaggerated eye roll.

"Please, Peeta, you guys aren't stupid fifteen year olds anymore. You're both horny, over-emotional seventeen year olds and this is bound to happen. I can bet you fifty dollars that by this time next month you guys will have at least kissed."

Peeta smirked. "Deal."

At that moment, Katniss appeared. She had clearly heard the whole conversation.

"Classy as ever, Dylan. I want in on that bet." She sad to him with a smirk, extending her hand and shaking his, symbolising the bet.

"This is fucking awesome. By this time next month I'll have an extra hundred dollars for my new car."

* * *

"Peeta, I don't want to study. Can't we just go out?" Katniss whined, dragging out his name. He liked it.

"No. Not unless you want to fail biology _again._" he teased lightly, silencing her.

"Fine." she grumbled, returning her focus to the folder on her lap. She had invited Peeta over to help her study, but after ten minutes it was clear that he was just there to provide Katniss with some company. So Katniss was studying, and Peeta was re-reading the book he had read the previous month.

They sat in silence for another half-hour, before Katniss looked up again.

"What do you think of Dylan's bet?"

Peeta's head snapped up, staring her straight in the eye. There was something that he couldn't quite determine in them.

"Well- I, uh.. I.. I guess he's gonna owe us fifty bucks."

Katniss just nodded distractedly in reply, humming a slight "Mmmm.."

It was no secret to everyone except for Katniss that Peeta had feelings for her. Hell, he was in _love_ with her. He had been since he was old enough to like girls. No one else had ever caught his eye, not even for a second, it had always been her.

Her response confused him, as he could have sworn that he saw a slight look of disappointment flash across them, just for a second.

"Why?" He asked, not wanting to let the subject slip.

She looked back up at him. "I was just wondering." Her reply was short, but Peeta could tell that it was the end of the discussion.

* * *

"Peeta? You home?" Katniss called from the hallway.

"In my bedroom! Come on in." He replied, confused. Katniss was meant to be working.

"Hey." Katniss poked her head around the door.

"I thought you had work?"

"Apparently no one wants to buy coffee on days this hot. Strange, don't you think?" Katniss smirked, emerging the rest of the way into the room. She was wearing the tiniest shorts that Peeta had ever seen, along with an incredibly tight tank-top.

"Eye's up here jackass." Katniss scowled at him, but her eyes were playful.

"Nice shorts." Peeta smirked at her.

"Shut up." She grumbled in reply, plopping her petite frame down on the bed.

"Not complaining."

"We have a weird friendship. Annie asked me yesterday how long we've been dating and I nearly choked on my food." Katniss revealed, laughing.

"It annoys me that they think there's always something more."

Katniss nodded silently to this, and Peeta regretted the words. Peeta's feelings towards Katniss had been obvious to everyone except for Katniss herself for years, and Peeta hated every single day of the unrequited love.

Before Peeta could even think, Katniss' lips were on his. He had no idea what was happening, or what had possessed Katniss to do this, but he definitely hadn't been ready for it. His lips moved clumsily against hers, trying to find a rhythm but ultimately failing. He pulled back and kissed her again, ready for it this time. Their lips moved in tandem, and Katniss opened her mouth and swiped her tongue along Peeta's bottom lip. He groaned and granted eager access.

Katniss' hands began to wander over Peeta's firm chest and he gripped her hips, beginning to move his hands towards her breasts. But Katniss pulled back.

He gasped. "W- What.. What was that?"

They were broth breathing heavily, and Katniss' eyes were dilated and stormy with lust. But almost as soon as she had kissed him, her eyes went wide and she realised what she had done.

"Oh- Oh my gosh, Peeta, I have to, umm.. I have to go. Bye." She said in one breath and fled the room, almost running.

"Holy shit." Peeta mumbled, touching his lips. They were still tingling.

"You owe me fifty bucks!" Dylan shouted from the kitchen, clearly laughing.

"Fuck off, Dyl!"

* * *

Katniss made a pretty good job of avoiding him for the next month. Every time they shared a class in school she would sit at the back and fix her gaze on her notebook, not even acknowledging him.

Until Finnick's party.

"Come on, man, this is gonna be my only real chance with Annie and I need my wing man! It'll be fun! Just please consider it?" Finnick pleaded for what must have been the fifth time that day.

"Ugh, fine. But I'm not getting wasted, I have work tomor-"

"Good enough for me." Finnick turned and walked away, grinning.

"Asshole." Peeta mumbled under his breath, turning to walk home.

Peeta entered the party early that night, as he knew Katniss would be there and he wanted to avoid her. She usually showed up pretty late to these things.

But, there she was, doing shots with Finnick in the kitchen.

"Fuck." He cursed, veering off and entering the living room instead in an attempt to avoid her. Bad idea. Darius, one of his friends on the wrestling team, handed him two shots and winked, and without a word he walked away.

"Peeeeeeeeta! 'S been so long since I- I saw you last!" Delly screeched at him, enveloping him in an overly friendly hug. Peeta cringed. He carefully extracted himself from her vice grip.

"Yeah, uh, hey Delly." He gave her a half smile, not wanting to encourage her. They had dated for a year and ended things a few months ago. Which wasn't so bad, but they had lost their virginity to each other, and Delly had basically harassed him every time they were together since, boyfriend and girlfriend or not.

"Yeah, uh.. Maybe some other time. I'm gonna go talk to Jo." Peeta said awkwardly, hoping that she would let him go.

"Oh.." Delly's smile wavered for a split second before returning. "Ok, well, I'll see you 'round."

He downed both shots on the way over, forgetting about the fact that he had to get up early tomorrow. He made his way towards Johanna, a short - yet surprisingly feisty - cousin of Finnick's. They had been good friends for a few years, and he made a point of talking to her for a while every time she came to visit Finnick and his family.

"Jo, my main bitch, how's it going?" Their friendship was somewhat odd, consisting of strange greetings and insults.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't blondie himself. How's it going?" She replied, taking a sip from what smelled to be an incredibly strong drink.

"Uh, good, I guess. Can't complain for the most part." Peeta shrugged, looking around him. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and it was only ten, so the party would only get louder and wilder. And then he glanced into the kitchen and saw her.

And him.

And how close they were.

And the way his hand was on her waist.

And her hand was resting gracefully on his bicep.

_Fuck._ They were blatantly flirting with each other, with Gale leaning over to whisper in Katniss' ear every so often. His blood boiled with rage.

She was _his Katniss._

He quickly turned around, and focused on Johanna again. But she was looking at the same thing, and anger flashed in her eyes. And jealousy.

"What the _fuck_." She growled, shocking Peeta.

"Do you know Gale?" He asked, confused.

She gave a humorless laugh. "A hell of a lot more than most people do. We broke up last week. _Last week._ And he's already moved on to some skank-"

"Hey!" He cut her off. "Katniss isn't a skank."

"Johanna's eyes widened. "Sooo, this is the infamous Katniss Everdeen. You still got your panties in a twist over her, Mellark?"

Peeta blushed and looked at his feet. "She's been giving me mixed messages. She kissed me and then ran out and she's avoided me ever since and I don't know what to do. I haven't talked to her in like a month. It doesn't seem to be bothering her much, though." He mumbled bitterly, anger pulsing through his veins. He looked back to Johanna. She had a thoughtful look on her face, and she seemed to be in some sort of trance. She snapped out of it a second later.

"I know how you can forget about her." She whispered, before closing the distance between their lips. Peeta inhaled sharply through his nose, but kissed her back regardless. He was frustrated and lonely and Johanna was hot. Not Katniss hot, but certainly attractive.

He brought his hand up to the back of her neck and pulled her closer, slipping his tongue into her mouth. Johanna pulled back breathlessly, not removing her arms from around his neck.

"M- My hotel is just around the corner. Come on." She kissed him again quickly and grabbed his hand, tugging him out the door. They walked quickly and wordlessly to Jo's hotel, resuming their kissing once inside the elevator.

Peeta palmed her breasts, moaning into her mouth. Johanna responded by burying her hands in his hair, and tugging slightly.

They stumbled into the room a minute later, a flurry of searching hands. Peeta felt slightly buzzed from whatever had been in those shots, which helped him forget about Katniss for a while.

It was clear to both of them that this would be nothing more than a drunken fuck to help them both forget. And that's what it was. When she came, Johanna moaned Gale's name into Peeta's neck, and Peeta let out a strangled cry of Katniss' name when he finished, panting.

When he closed his eyes, images of steely grey eyes, a chestnut brown braid, and olive skin flashed behind his eyelids.

* * *

"What the _fuck_?" Katniss seethed, and Peeta flinched. Her hand made contact, and left what was sure to be an angry red mark.

"Katniss, I'm sorry, I-"

"Sorry will get you _nowhere._ You lying, cheating, son of a bitch. I hate you!" Katniss cried, trying to hold back furious tears.

Katniss had caught wind of what had happened between him and Johanna from none other than Delly Cartwright herself.

"What do you mean, cheating? I never cheated! We weren't even together. You just kissed me and then the next time I see you you're practically eye-fucking Gale Hawthorne."

Peeta could almost see steam coming out of Katniss' ears. "How _dare_ you. I was drunk, and I never even kissed him. You _slept _with Jo. Do you think that's ok? Huh? Because I'm pretty fucking sure that it isn't!"

"Well what was I meant to think? First, you make a bet against us ever even kissing, then you get all weird with me, then you _kiss me,_ run out, and the next time I see you you're flirting with someone else! It hurt, and Johanna was hurting too, we were drunk and both there for each other."

"You can be there for someone while _keeping it in your pants._" Katniss screeched.

Peeta cringed. "I understand that now. But I had just spent a month pining after you after you walked out, and I was frustrated and lonely. Can you at least tell me why you kissed me? Or why you left?" He was desperate for an explanation.

"Because I was scared! Everyone I love just leaves me - my Dad, my Mom - fuck, even Prim's going to college on the other side of the country soon. If I loved you, I would find some way to fuck it up and you'd be gone." Katniss had tears falling down her face by now, smudging her mascara. But she still looked beautiful.

"You.. You love me?" Peeta whispered, shocked.

"Yes! But it doesn't matter!" Katniss stepped closer and shoved his chest. "I'll just fuck it up and lose you-"

Peeta cut her off, swooping down to silence her with his lips. He pulled away quickly.

"I love you too. I would never, _never_ leave you. I'll be here, by you side. _Always._"

He kissed her again, hungrily this time. It was full of love and searching hands and breathy groans.

They lost concept of everything; just getting lost in each other. Peeta kissed his way down her body, whispering quiet _I love you's_ with every peck. He made her scream and arch her back off the bed countless times, smiling smugly every time. But then it was her turn to play.

She flipped him over and straddled his hips, kissing him deeply. She began to grind into him, with Peeta moaning into her mouth. She repeated the kisses that he had given her, the whole way down his body. When she finally took him in her mouth, he almost choked on his own saliva. He moaned and repeated her name like a mantra, until he could feel a tightening spreading from his lower abdomen.

He pulled her up, wanting it to last.

"I want you." Katniss sighed, biting her lip. Peeta kissed her hard in response. Katniss pulled away and slid open the drawer on Peeta's night stand, in search of a condom. She crowned triumphantly when she found one, emitting a low groan when she rolled it on to him.

He rocked into her slowly, and then more urgently. They set a clumsy rhythm, but Katniss thought that it could not have been more perfect. They climaxed simultaneously, moaning each other's names.

After, when Katniss was resting her head on his chest, Peeta whispered;

"I feel like I'm dreaming; I've been in love with you since the first time I met you. Is this real?"

"Real."

* * *

**A/N.**

**Hope this brightened up you guys' Saturday, cause I enjoyed writing it. Review and let me know what you think!**


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